Wilbur Conley
Private First Class Wilbur "Runner" Conley was a marine in the 1st Marine Division. He was best friends with Pfc. Robert Leckie, Pfc. Lew "Chuckler" Juergens, and Pfc. Bill "Hoosier" Smith. He was known to be a survivor, as he had, thus far, survived the runs, malaria, and the Airfield assault of the Battle of Peleliu. History Runner's early history is unrevealed thus far. It is known that he joined the marines and that he was assigned to the 1st Marine Division prior to the events of the first episode. Battle of the Tenaru Runner was first seen in a navy boat bound for Guadalcanal with his friends. He later caught a case of the runs, but he was nicknamed Runner beforehand. While he was taking a crap, he saw his friends eat some peaches, much to his chagrin. He decided to call Leckie "Peaches" because Leckie was eating many peaches during that time. That night, the japanese attacked, and most were easily mowed down by machine gun fire in what Chuckler described as a turkey shoot. Later in Guadalcanal While Sgt. John Basilone was fighting with the 5th Marines, Runner and his friends listened to Leckie read aloud a letter for his friend Vera Keller. Shortly afterwards, Runner and Chuckler man a machine gun and spread lead at many incoming Japanese soldiers. Runner is later seen with his friends on a navy ship headed for Melbourne. They are told that they are heroes for their part in the Guadalcanal campaign in Austrailia and America. This hardly has any impact on the exhausted and somewhat derelict marines. Melbourne At Melbourne, while his friends went AWOL and partied, Runner chose to stay and catch a long sleep. He is later seen with the rest of the Division walking through the outback. He is then seen on another navy ship destined for Cape Gloucester. Cape Gloucester Runner is later seen with his friends in the Battle of Cape Gloucester, where Runner talks with Leckie about the state of the Marines and the war. Runner is later seen in a field hospital being treated for Malaria while Leckie once again reads a letter for Vera. He survives, and he is later seen playing a game with his friends just after Leckie visits Pfc. Gibson. Peleliu Landing Runner, Leckie, Chuckler, and Hoosier were later part of the Peleliu campaign. Prior to this, their commanding officers wrongly assured them that this would be short. During the landing, Hoosier was wounded and Chuckler was missing, later to be found on a stretcher wounded but just barely alive. Runner found Leckie a few minutes later, where the latter gloomily said to Runner, "Hoosier got hit". Runner is later seen sleeping in a safe position. Peleliu Airfield Runner was later part of the Airfield assault along with Leckie. During this time, they couldn't get word on Hoosier's status. The marines rushed into action and were met by Japanese machine gun, mortar, and tank fire, killing and/or wounding many marines. Runner was shot in the arm at some point during the assault, so Leckie went to get a corpsman (along with a radioman to replace the one who died of his wounds earlier), but he failed to find one before he was knocked back by the impact of an explosion. Runner and Leckie managed to survive the brutal campaign, Runner with his arm in a sling. Runner reveals that Hoosier's status is still unknown and that Chuckler was still on the island before he brings Leckie topside to look at Peleliu before the ship leaves. It is presumed that Runner is back home. Trivia *Runner's first name has been mixed up in other sources such as Wikipedia where his first name is listed as "Bud" rather than "Wilbur" in the closing credits. See Also Robert Leckie Lew Juergens Bill Smith Category:Characters Category:Marines